The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-05-26
GOLD LEAF.
How. Where, and by Whom 1t Is Manu-
factured.

How. Where, and by Whom 1t Is Manu-
factured.
Gold leaf is manufactured in about
twenty shops in New York and its
suburbs. saws the New York EUeutllg
lSun. 1t is estimated that 20,S00
ounces of gold are consumed annu-
ally here in making gold leaf. Gold
can be beaten so thin that it will take
y. 600 leaves to equal the thickness of
the sheet upon which this paper is
printed. An ounce can be beaten
down to $500 leaves 81 inches
square.
At an establishment in Hudson
street a reporter was told that the
gold is bought of brokers in small
in@ots, which are melted into bars
about a quarter of an inch thick.
| These are rolled into ribbon as thick
as note paper. After passing through
the hands of the beaters it is put in
| looks interleaved with MANILA tissue,
and twenty books are put in pack
age. The ordinary sells for 81 a pack
age, and the best $3.50 to S7.75. No
! dross comes from the gold as it is
| beaten, but there are ragged edges
which drop off The leaf is used by
| gilders, bookbinders, dentists, and
| sign painters.
The wages of gold-beaters are 81
a week. A piece hand gets So a
beating. A good one can possibly do
two a week, and as many as nine i'll q
| month have been done. Extra is paid
if the workman beats the gold below
| five grains to a book. Some can do
four and half, and even four, grains
| per book"
''How thin can you get it?" beateT
| in Broome street was asked.
''It is beaten to one three-hundred
thousandth of an inch at five grains to
| the book. If it gets down to four
grains it is one three-hundred-and
! sixty-thousandths of an inch. The
New York system employs men only,
| with girls to do the cutting. The
| German system employs children Of
| to 9. which system Hastings, OF
| Philadelphia, tried to introduce here,
| but his workmen struck, and he lost
his lead. On that system men do the
beating and girls do the priming and
| filing"
How is the gold beaten?"
at is beaten in molds made in Lon.
! don from the intestines of cows,
| cleaned aud vanished with a secret
! preparation manufactured by Puck
| ridge IL Nephew, of London. The
| skins are put in packages of 900 skins
each, and three of these molds 90 to q
! beating"
How much gold is there in beat
! ing?"
'.Fifty pennyweight in beating. The
ribbon of solid gold is divided into l7C
or $50 pieces, each about an inch
! square. These are put into clutch
! made of French paper four inches
! square. This is beaten until we get the
| gold to the edges. 1t is handled with
| pincers at that time. 1t is beaten
! half an hour. The pieces are then
! piled twenty on top of each other.
| Then they are cut in four and doubled
over, making 720. They are then put
| in a 'schoder, or finer mold cut down.
We fiji the schoder with these leaves in
the middle, and break it out to the
edges We beat it about two hours,
| until we draw about ten pennyweights
off the schroeder"
docs it have to be kept dry?"
1--WE have to keep the windows
shut; but the clutches, schoders, and
molds take up so much moisture that
they have to be put in hot mold te
! press the moisture out.
Don't that finish it?"
ooh, no. The leaves are cut away
again into four with a tool called a
wagon, making 1850, but the molds
hold only 2, zoo. The molds are beater
| four hours, at the end of each hour
there being what is called a close.
when they are heated. Then the beat
er is through with it and the cutter
takes it. This is the only work done
by girls in New York. They can cut
| from thirty-to sixty-fOur books IA day
at p cents book. The leaf, when il
| gets into a book, is so thin that it il
handled only with the breath"
"How is the work tested?"
"Only with the eye. There is no rule
about the business. but it is surely n
matter of skill and Judgment. The
best is the kind used on glass, which
shows all imperfections."
81 notice that gold-beaters usually
work in easements. Why is that?"
"A tirmer blow can be given. If on
the first story, there is jar. which
| deteriorates the quality
is there any adulteration in the
| business?'
THE Germans beat what is called
a metal leaf with an alloy. 1t is sold
very cheap. 1t is the oleomargarine
of gold leaf, and Will tarnish. Much
of it is used by bOokbinders.
when did the trade start?"
ut is very ancient. 1t is mentioned
in the Bible. Gold was used on Solo
! mons temple. The Chinese beat gold
leaf, but it cannot compare in quality
with American leaf. Some of the
| Cinnamon had trouble with their en-
ployer, but they soon ended it. They
got the employer into their lodge room
and then one after another took bite
out Of his flesh"